Road Trip Changes Everything
by Madthoughts
Summary: In 1994 when Damon asked his brother to hit the road with him instead of saying no Stefan says yes and together the Salvatore's leave Mystic Falls. Now seventeen years later Stefan calls his brother from their home town, desperate for help in protecting Elena Gilbert. Damon had no idea the events that would be awaiting for him. (CH-5 Re uploaded)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hello everyone, I shouldn't be starting another story but I had this idea pop into my head. This will be a Delena story, with other relationships developing as the story goes along. This is a AU, below is the summary: **

**In 1994 when Damon asked his brother to hit the road with him instead of saying no Stefan says yes and hits the road. Now seventeen years later his Stefan calls his brother from Mystic Falls, desperate for help…**

**How A Road Trip Changed Everything**

**Chapter 1: First Meetings**

_Damon Point of View_

**Mystic Falls, 2011**

It was late evening when Damon's Camaro sped down the interstate blowing past the _Welcome to Mystic Falls _sign, his hands tightening around the wheel. He hadn't set foot in his hometown since he and Stefan had hit the road seventeen years ago. He had returned at the request of his brother Stefan Salvatore after a desperate phone call received saying he needed Damon's help. He had called two days ago and informed him that he had been residing in Mystic Falls for several months and had started a relationship with a human named Elena Gilbert but other than that his brother said he would explain later.

It hadn't been until Stefan has asked for his help that he realised there was something seriously wrong. When he had told Stefan to cut the bullshit tell him what exactly is going on Stefan had revealed that Katherine had returned to town. Damon knew Katherine wasn't dead and whilst he had been travelling with Stefan, he had revealed to him that Katherine wasn't dead but was sealed away by a spell in the tomb. During the trip with his brother after he had revealed Katherine's fate he and Stefan had sat down with several bottles of bourbon. The 'talk' that took place that night would go down in the Salvatore's brother history went down in history as the most explosive and volatile fight between the brothers in their lifes.

They had started talking about Katherine, but it had devolved into a brutal fight, verbal and physical blows had been exchanged and all the bad history between the brothers exploded in the span of a night. There had been stakes, blood and more than some harsh words exchanged between both but as the morning rose the two brothers; drunk, clothes torn and covered in each-others blood had collapsed onto the floor of what had once been the lounge room before they had started their conversation as they passed the bourbon between each other.

The outcome of the fight had three effects on Damon Salvatore; the first was that he and his brother had gotten back to where they had been before Katherine had come in and torn them apart. The second had been a personal discovery of his own, Stefan had been screaming at him at how Katherine never loved either of them when a bolt of realisation had struck Damon.

Katherine had never loved him, he had tried to repress the memories but he remembered all the times Katherine left him for his brother, the times she had compelled him whenever he asked whether she loved him and on one occasion he had spotted her leaving Stefan's room the morning after she had spent the night with the younger Salvatore. Katherine had never spent the night in Damon's bed, once she had gotten what she wanted from Damon she would leave. The third and perhaps the biggest change in Damon was that for the first time in over fifty years his emotions had switched on.

Damon had admitted that he had made the wrong choice in loving Katherine and swearing an eternity of misery on his brother. He had apologised to his brother (something that was hard for Damon to do) and so had Stefan. They had spent the next year travelling together rekindling their brotherly bond until Damon one day had come to Stefan and told him that he was leaving. At first Stefan had been upset that Damon was leaving but then Damon explained his reasoning behind it.

For the first time in his life he wanted to try to find his place in the world; no father beating him into submission, no woman lying and manipulating him and perhaps the hardest thing to say to Stefan was no brother who's shadow he had lived his entire life in.

Stefan had been upset but Damon had assured him he needed to find his place and he couldn't do that with him…at least not right away. That didn't change the fact he was his brother or how much he loved him he had just needed to find himself away from the ghosts of his past and come to grips with his newly awakened emotions.

That had been five years ago, he and Stefan had kept in touch often talking on a weekly basis, but it had come as a shock when Stefan not only told him that Katherine was back in Mystic Falls, but his brother had fallen in love. He had to admit it had hurt when he heard the news; he had hoped that they become closer but not close enough to pass on that knowledge that his brother had found someone.

As Damon shifted the car down into a lower gear as the trees beside the road started to give way to houses and before Damon knew it, he was driving through the town square. Damon took in the buildings as he drove, not much had changed since he had last been here. Stopping at the red light, his phone started ringing from his pocket. Pulling it out he rolled his eyes when he saw his brothers name appearing on the screen for the tenth time in the last two hours.

"Brother so help me if you keep calling me, I will block your number" Damon snarled raising the phone to his ear. His brother simply laughed at his empty threat before continuing.

"How far away are you? And you haven't spotted Katherine, have you?" Stefan's voice asked causing Damon to roll his eyes.

"No brother I haven't spotted the wicked bitch of the west but thanks for worrying mom" Damon teased his brother as the light turned green.

"Alright, where are you?" Stefan asked as Damon started driving through the lights and continuing towards the Salvatore boarding house.

"Coming through the town square now Stefan I'll be about ten minutes" Damon replied before he hung up abruptly on his brother.

Stefan was used it by now and seeing as he was less than ten minutes away from the boarding house, he didn't see the point in continuing that conversation. Before he knew it, Damon was pulling up to the boarding house. There were several cars already arrayed outside several SVU's, a hybrid, Stefan's classic red Porsche and perhaps most unusual of all was the Sheriffs car sitting beside the others.

As he got out of the car he realised he couldn't hear into the house, suddenly Damon could feel a surge of magic in the air and realised that a witch had placed a spell over the house (probably to stop Katherine from spying). As Damon opened the car and walked to his trunk the front door opened and his brother walked out to stand on the front porch. Damon collected his bag and looked up smiling at his brother who returned it with a look of relief at the sight of his big brother.

"Hello brother" Damon said as he came to a spot placing his bag on the ground a neutral look on his face.

"Damon" Stefan replied the same look in his eyes before both brothers grinned and pulled each other into a hug.

"You look good brother" Stefan said as they separated, Damon bend down to pick up his bag and started to follow his brother into the boarding house.

"You too and I have to be honest I do not miss the grunge look. It didn't suit you" Damon replied smirking as he started to walk into the house.

"Damon wait…there's something I have to tell you" Stefan said grabbing his elbow and turning his brother back to face him.

"What is it Stefan, I'm tired and want to get this little meet and greet with the local humans over and done with" Damon asked turning back to Stefan who had a look that could only be described as uncomfortable.

"Elena's inside…there's something I need to tell you" Stefan said unable to look his brother in the eye.

Damon rolled his eyes and continued walking into the house, as he passed the threshold, he could hear a great many heartbeats coming from the sitting room. As he walked towards the room, he opened the door as Stefan caught up with his brother and turned him around again.

"Wait Damon-"Stefan tried but failed as Damon walked into the room and came to a sudden halt, frozen in place.

There where was an array of people situated around the room; there was an older looking blonde woman whom he recognised as Liz Forbes stood beside the fireplace who was in conversation with a young blonde vampire who smelled like a newborn. Sitting on the one of the couches was a older couple who looked to be in their early thirties holding hands and sitting quite close together, these two he didn't recognise.

On the other couch opposite them was a young woman whom he recognised as Bennet Witch seated next to a young man around seventeen years old holding her hand. It was the brunette on the couch which had frozen him in place; if he hadn't heard the heartbeat or smelled the fresh blood flowing through her veins he would of attacked. But it was more than that, as he looked into her eyes they truly gave her away, there was a warmth in her soft brown irises that he had never seen in Katherines. She looked exactly like the woman whom had destroyed the brothers and suddenly Damon had understood why Stefan had never mentioned Elena Gilbert before.

"Stefan…what the actual hell you have serious explaining to do" Damon said as he slowly turned to his brother with an incredulous look on his face disregarding the people in the room for the moment.

"Look Damon now really isn't the time…we have a situation and we need your help" Stefan said to his brother but Damon was still standing gazing at the Katherines doppelganger.

"What the hell is going on Stefan?" Damon asked truly confused for the first time.

Katherine's look a like stepped forward and offered out her hand to him, smiling softly.

"Hi I'm Elena Gilbert, its nice to meet you" she murmured to him, Damon arched his eyebrow at his brother (whom Elena was currently ignoring).

"Damon Salvatore, but I'm sure you already know all about me I am after older hotter brother" Damon replied raising her hand to his lips and kissing her hand gently on the back causing her to blush and step back.

"Actually Stefan only mentioned he had a brother a couple of days ago" Elena murmured shooting Stefan a look that Damon recgonised as the universal look that Stefan had screwed up.

"Ouch…well I guess Stefan's not one to brag" Damon murmured dropping his bag and walking into the room.

He ignored everyone and went straight to the liquor car and poured himself a drink. Everyone was following him (particularly the young blonde and Elena), as he finished fixing himself a drink he came to stand beside Liz and smiled at her, the sheriff for her part simply looked confused.

"Good to see you again Liz" Damon said to her which just deppened her confusion even further.

"We've met?" Liz asked confused as Damon laughed and looked at his brother.

"Seriously Stefan if you're going to be honest with these people then be _completely _honest" Damon exclaimed at his brother before he turned back to Liz.

"I was in town about seventeen years ago, we met but I compelled you to forget me…don't worry I swear I only compelled you to forget me" Damon said holding his hands up when Liz got an angry look on her face. The young blonde vampire shot up beside Liz and looked him over real quick before giving him a flirtatious smile.

"Hi I'm Caroline Forbes" she said holding out a perfect manicured hand which Damon took.

"Ahh the last time I saw you, you were a only a couple years old, you're mother was quite proud" Damon replied dropping her hand missing the pout that came over her face when she didn't get a kiss on the back of her hands.

"Bonnie Bennet" the young mocha skinned woman sitting next to the young man who shared features with Elena.

"Jeremy Gilbert" he said when Damon eyes moved over to him, Damon toasted him in greeting quite comfortable where he was.

"I'm Alaric Saltzman and this is my girlfriend Jenna Sommers" the older couple on one of the sofas introducing themselves.

"Good to meet you, now you want to tell me why I just drove fourteen hours and across the country Stefan?" Damon asked getting the feeling that he wouldn't like what he was about to hear.

"Well it started when Stefan arrived back in town" Elena spoke shifting Damon's attention to him.

_Several hours later… _

_(Essentially the events of season 1 and 2 up to episode 12 of have happened but there are differences which will be explained as the story goes on)_

"So let me get this straight…the oldest vampire in history wants to sacrifice Elena because she is Petrova doppelganger to unlock his werewolf side. And that's the latest problem, Katherine is also back and trying to offer her up on a platter…and the tomb it was opened…Stefan what the hell were you thinking?" Damon exclaimed at his brother who was trying to look everywhere but his older brother.

"I don't know what you mean" Stefan mumbled weakly trying to change the subject.

"Why the hell didn't you call me the second Anna got back to town, or hell when Katherine did?" Damon screamed at his little brother.

"I was protecting you" Stefan tried to explain weakly which caused Elena to shake her head his disbelief.

"I am 176 years old and your older brother I don't need you protecting me" Damon exclaimed at his brother.

"Goddamn Stefan lying to me isn't protecting me…you should of told me Katherine was back" Damon yelled at his brother.

"And what would you have done huh?" Stefan screamed back coming straight into his brothers face. Damon shoved him back, the pair forgetting they had a captive audience for the latest Salvatore drama.

"I would have found a nice point stake and shoved it through the bitches heart like she deserves" Damon said stepping straight up to his brother.

The veins broke out across Stefan's face making Damon realise his brother still had little self control and was unable to control his instincts. Concerned for the humans in the house Damon grabbed Stefan and vamped him outside away from everyone else. Before Stefan had realised what had happened his brother had dragged him several miles into the forest surrounding the boarding house.

"You need to cool it brother…what the hell is wrong with you when was the last time you fed?" Damon asked as his brother looked down guiltily.

"A couple of days ago" Stefan replied causing Damon to rolled his eyes and shoved him in the direction to go deeper into the forest.

"Go feed before you accidently eat your girlfriend" Damon murmured as Stefan mumbled something out that even Damon with vampire hearing struggled to catch.

"Don't mumble Stefan what was that?" Damon asked exasperated at his younger brother.

"We're on a break" Stefan mumbled as Damon rolled his eyes.

"Go eat, I'll go have a chat with the Scooby gang and get the info I need go fee" Damon said pointing to the trees, Stefan looked like he would fight for a minute before he sighed and turned around walking into the forest.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?" Damon asked the empty tree's around him, the uneasy feeling growing in his chance that he seemed to get whenever he returned to this town. As he made his way back to the boarding house, he remembered how Mystic Falls had a way of changing his life and not always for the better.

**End of Chapter Note: So what did you guys think, for those of you reading my other story a Change of Destiny don't worry it will be continued I simply couldn't get the idea for this story out of my head. Please let me know if you liked the idea for this AU and leave a review with your thoughts, as always till next time….**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Hello everyone, here is the second chapter of the story. Thank you everyone has reviewed the story, in this chapter Damon makes some new friends and has some questions for himself that he can't seem to answer.**

**Chapter 2: New Acquittances **

**Salvatore Boarding House, **_**Mystic Falls, **_**Virginia **

_Damon Point of View _

Damon slowly walked back up to the boarding house keeping a careful ear out for any other creatures roaming the forest but other than he and his brother there was nothing more dangerous than bambi running around. When the house came back into view Damon noted that the sheriff's car and one of the two SVU'S was gone from the driveway. Damon walked up to the front door, his thoughts on his bed and a glass of bourbon when he walked through the door to come face to face with an angry witch, an armed vampire hunter with what looked like a stake launcher and a newborn vampire standing protectively in front of Elena and Jeremy.

"Don't shoot" Damon said holding his hands up in mock surrender as started towards his trusty drink cart, the others in the room when they realised it was Damon relaxed their posture but not by much. Damon noted how they seemed to be most concerned about protecting Elena which made Damon believe there was a reason for that.

"I know I just got here but seriously you are acting like I'm about to bite your heads off" Damon asked genuine curiosity colouring his voice. Bonnie, Caroline and Elena traded a look while Damon poured another bourbon for the history teacher and offered it up as a peace offering and after several moments Alaric lowered his weapon before he hesitantly took the offered drink.

"So again, someone want to explain to me why you were expecting Katherine to walk through the door and rip Elena's pretty little head off?" Damon questioned taking a seat and sighing deeply.

"Sorry Damon…but there was an incident a couple of months ago…Stefan was hurt, and Elena donated some blood to him and well…it didn't end well" Caroline murmured wrapping an arm around Elena who looked down at the floor.

"Let me guess Stefan lost control and tried to kill Elena?" Damon asked looking directly at the girl in question who raised who eyes to him; there was fear in them but also a fire he could see smouldering just beneath the surface.

"Yeah, he did…I was giving him human blood trying to get him to adjust to it, but he lost control and…he nearly ripped my throat out" Elena murmured as her brother came to stand beside his sister.

"Ok…that was a bad idea, Stefan and human blood don't mix well, but still why did expect me to come attack her?" Damon asked as Elena and Bonnie looked at him in confusion.

"Well…we thought you might be hungry and not as in control, so we were just taking precautions" Bonnie murmured causing Damon to laugh at them causing them to be bewildered by his reaction.

"Me lose control" Chuckles "oh I haven't heard anything that funny in a while" Damon laughed shaking his head at them.

"Why is that funny?" Elena asked in confusion as Damon finally stopped laughing.

"We might be brothers, but I haven't lost control while I was feeding in decades. Unlike my brother I drink human blood on a regular basis and have learnt control. So, trust me when I say that you don't have to worry about me feeding on Elena…well not unless she wants it" Damon replied winking at Elena who blushed in reaction to his attention.

"Do you flirt with every girl you see?" Alaric asked a hint of amusement entering his voice. Suddenly an idea formed in his head, Damon sauntered up to Alaric and did his famous eye thing he had developed over the years.

"Not just the ladies Ric, you know if you ever want to experiment just let me know" Damon said causing Ric to look uncomfortable whilst Elena laughed at the interaction, everyone bar Damon looked at Elena in shock while Damon just stood there confused once again by everyone's.

"Sorry…I haven't laughed like that in a while but that was hilarious you should have seen your face" Elena giggled as Caroline and Bonnie joined in with her.

Damon found himself liking the sound of her laughter; it was different from Katherines and that's when he realised, he had never heard Katherine genuinely laugh before. Before he realised what was happening Damon found himself smiling at her and taking in her smile…which seemed to send a surge of heat through him before he caught himself. _Whoa there that is not only your brother's girl, but she looks exactly like your ex let's not go down that road _Damon thought to himself before he poured himself a drink and sat down. Bonnie looked down at the time, before she stood up and hastily made her way towards the door.

"I've got to go; we have school in the morning" Bonnie murmured as she walked out the door followed by Jeremy who stopped and looked at his sister.

"You ok if I head out with Bonnie?" Jeremy asked Elena who looked at Damon for a moment as if weighing up a decision in her mind.

"I'll be fine Jeremy, go" Elena murmured in reply, Jeremy nodded his head and caught up to Bonnie wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"I have to head off too, you want a lift Caroline?" Alaric asked the blonde who nodded her head in reply.

"I'll see you tomorrow Elena" Caroline murmured to the teacher following him out the door leaving Damon on the couch and Elena standing awkwardly by the fireplace.

"You can have a seat you know" Damon murmured after a few moments of silence causing Elena to look up and smile at him before taking a seat on the other end of the couch. Damon could feel her eyes on him for a few moments before he turned and looked at her, his blue capturing her brown orbs in a piercing stare.

"See something you like?" Damon flirted shamelessly causing Elena to smile at him and shake her head.

"Do you have an off switch?" Elena asked in disbelief as Damon wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"I don't know, want to help see if we can find it?" Damon continued to flirt causing Elena to let out a laugh causing Damon to smile in response. Damon got up and poured himself a drink before pouring a second walking over to the couch once again offering the drink to Elena.

"I don't usually drink" Elena murmured starting at for a moment before she accepted it and took a small sip grimacing at the taste.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Damon looked over at the young woman and took in her features fully. At first glance she was identical to Katherine but as he looked closer he noted the flush to her skin from her beating heart and slight difference in scent committing them to memory; knowing Katherine she would try to mess with him by pretending to be Elena.

"You're not what I was expecting" Elena murmured after a few moments causing Damon to smile at her as she looked at him again.

"What, you expected me to like my brother. All broody and serious all the time?" Damon asked causing Elena to smile and shake her head.

"You know you give your brother some crap, but I can tell you really care about him" Elena murmured causing Damon to snort and start to prep himself a third drink.

"You just met me, what makes you say that?" Damon asked defensively not liking how this girl seemed to be able to get a read on him so fast.

"You don't seem to me to be the type of guy who drives across the country for just anyone and I can hear it in your voice when you talk about him" Elena replied with a fair amount of confidence; the thing was her words were right on the mark and they made Damon…uncomfortable.

"So, what are you still doing here, don't you have school as well?" Damon asked trying to change the subject not liking how well this girl seemed to know him so well.

"I'm waiting for Stefan…he wanted to talk" Elena answered looking into the fire to hide the fear in her eyes.

"He's not going to be back for a couple of hours you should get home, come on I'll give you lift home" Damon murmured to her Elena who sighed after a moment before standing up and following him out the door.

"Nice car" Elena murmured as they walked out the door causing Damon to smile and speed ahead of her causing her to gasp as he opened the door with a flourish.

"Milady your carriage awaits" Damon said bowing to her not understanding where this playful side was coming from. _Shouldn't have had three bourbons so fast _he thought himself as Elena walked to the car mock curtsying before sitting in the car.

"Why thank you kind sir" Elena replied from her seat in the car as Damon laughed, shutting the door and speeding over his side appearing in the driver's seat before Elena had even finished buckling her seat.

"Ok you have got to stop doing that" Elena gasped as Damon simply laughed at her before starting the car and pulling out of the boarding house driveway.

"You date a vampire, I thought you would be used to it?" Damon asked as Elena shook her in heard.

"Dated a vampire…after what happened I'm not sure if we can go back to the way we were" Elena replied before continuing "And Stefan never really used his super speed around him."

"Ahhh Stefan still pretending to be a human" Damon murmured to himself as Elena started to direct him towards her house. They chatted about small things, Damon mostly asking the questions and dodging when Elena asked him the same ones.

"You know it wouldn't kill you to answer a question" Elena murmured in frustration to Damon as they pulled up at her house.

"Ok you answer a question and I'll face the Spanish inquisition tomorrow deal?" Damon asked to her as he switched off the engine and turned to face Elena who simply nodded her head in agreement.

"If you're so scarred of Stefan why did you stay with me to wait for him?" Damon murmured causing Elena to look away for a moment before she looked back at him.

"I have a feeling you wouldn't hurt me…am I wrong?" Elena murmured looking at Damon who looked away from her eyes.

"You're too trusting" Damon replied getting out of the car and walking around opening the car door hers for her, Elena simply rolled her eyes and walked up the front steps Damon following close behind her.

"You want to come in?" Elena asked as she gathers her keys from her bag and looking up at Damon who was in shock at the question.

"You do realise that you're inviting a vampire into your home…that's not a smart thing to do" Damon murmured as she opened the door and looked at him for a moment.

"Well what happens if Katherine comes and you need to get in?" Elena shot back causing Damon to think for a moment seeing the logic in her thoughts.

"Not tonight Elena another time" Damon murmured not liking the feelings this girl was stirring in him after a single meeting, Elena smiled at him softly for a few moments.

"Well you're welcome to come in Damon, I'll see you tomorrow" Elena murmured walking into the house leaving Damon standing there in shock at the trust that human had just placed in him.

**Mystic Grill, **_**Mystic Falls, **_**Virginia**

_Damon Point of View_

It had been two days since Damon had arrived in Mystic Falls and he still hadn't caught sight of Katherine, and as Damon sat the bar of the local restaurant that had a glaringly lack of good whiskey Damon caught the scent of Jasmine on the air and before he knew what he was doing he turned and caught sight of Elena entering the Grill with Bonnie and Caroline beside her. _Crap _Damon thought to himself, he had been dodging her since he had dropped her off her at house two days ago.

For some reason the she wanted Damon to answer some questions, at first he thought it was because she wanted a better understanding of vampire's and the supernatural but he realised she was more interested in asking Damon personal questions about his life and Stefan's as well. Sighing Damon threw back the rest of the drink and slammed it down on the bar before turning around and coming face to face with the human he had been trying to evade.

"Damon, fancy seeing you here" Elena spoke raising an eyebrow at Damon "Going somewhere?"

"Yeah Stefan needs some help with something back at the boarding house" Damon replied trying to step by her, Elena simply mimicked his movements blocking his quick idea of an exit.

"You know you still owe me some answers, and Stefan is at a council meeting for the next two hours" Elena replied raising an eyebrow at him causing Damon to sigh.

"Look don't take this the wrong way but I'm here to protect you not make friends" Damon murmured looking down at her hoping she would get the hint but she simply smiled at him and Damon at the sinking feeling that she would only take his words as a challenge.

"Making friends isn't such a bad thing you know" Elena murmured leaning on the bar and ordering a drink for herself and her friends before she turned back to him.

"I don't do friends" Damon replied on reflex; it was true in a way; he had several vampires friends, but he never made long lasting relationships with humans. He never saw the point, there lives (and his human one as well) are violent, brutish and short.

"Well we are definitely changing that come on, you're coming with me" Elena murmured grabbing his arm and starting to drag him towards the table where her friends sat near the pool table.

As he approached, he noticed that both Bonnie and Caroline had their eyebrows raised at Damon coming to the table. Shaking his head, he gently extricated himself and starting to follow her.

"Hey gals, look who I was able to drag over" Elena murmured sitting down with her friends as Damon sat down as well, this caused Caroline to laugh and Bonnie to smirk at him.

"Yeah well, something tells me you can be really stubborn when you want to be" Damon replied causing Elena to splutter in outrage and her friends to simply laugh at the comment.

"You're not far off there Damon" Caroline replied smiling at Elena as she teased her.

"So, Damon, do you mind answering those questions you said you would before you disappeared?" Elena asked looking at Damon pointedly steering the subject in a direction she wanted.

"Pretty direct, aren't you?" Damon questioned admiring her spirit, she obviously wasn't going to be dissuaded from her goal.

"Well with your brother it like pulling teeth, he never told me the truth unless he had to. He didn't even tell me he had a brother until he called you" Elena spoke growing angrier with every word.

"I'm sensing some frustration from the group regarding my brother" Damon replied looking around the table and seeing looks of agreement.

"Look I'm not Stefan if you ask me something I will answer truthfully. But I can choose not to answer if I want to" Damon answered Elena who looked at him with those piercing brown eyes as if weighing up whether to trust him.

"Fair enough" Elena murmured as their drinks were delivered, Damon grabbed the waitress's hand and started to compel her.

"You will bring us a bottle of bourbon and glasses, you won't check for ID and you won't say anything about serving these three girls" Damon hypnotically said to her, she repeated it and went back to the bar as Damon smiled and looked at the table.

Bonnie and Elena had subtle looks of displeasure on their faces however Caroline had a look of curiosity and intrigue. He figured the baby vamp would have some questions for him; all she's had is his brother as a role model and he's not the most…stable vampire.

"Stop with the judgy eyes, if we're gonna talk I'm going to need bourbon and I don't want to drink alone. Unless you want you want Blondies mum to bust you guys for drinking" Damon replied as Caroline rolled her eyes at him when he called her blondie.

"You can do that so well; Stefan can barely compel a person and you do it as if its second nature" Elena spoke after a moment causing Damon to laugh.

"My brothers diet negates the finer aspects of the vampire life. I am much stronger than him" Damon replied in response to her unanswered question.

"Do you reckon you could teach me that?" Caroline asked making Bonnie and Elena shoot her confused looks.

"Look blondie if you want I can give you some pointers, but don't think I'm some sort of vampire sensei…that's my brothers thing" Damon replied as the waitress came back and deposited the bourbon and glasses at their table.

As Damon poured a drink for everyone, he noticed that Elena seemed to be reluctant to drink. Blondie shot hers down with no problem and Bonnie drank a little, but Elena still hadn't touched her's from where he placed it before her.

"Come on Elena, take five minutes out of your life. The problems will still be there in the morning, it won't kill you to have to have some fun. Unless you're afraid to drink with the big bad vampire" Damon spoke slightly challenging her as she raised her eyebrows at him before swigging the drink back in one gulp.

"There we go" Damon spoke smiling at the group and pouring another drink.

"I used to be more fun" Elena replied smiling at him as she took the glass, he was offering her.

"To five minutes" Damon spoke holding up his glass and clinking with the girls.

Over the next several hours Damon found himself having more fun than he'd had in years. Elena was a riot and her friends smiling the whole way through the night. The drinks kept flowing and they decided to play some pull, Damon was impressed by Elena's ability to play pull and the fact that she was laughing his jokes. His brother never liked his sense of humour and whilst Bonnie and Caroline laughed, Elena's was different. And he found himself smiling whenever he was able to get that infectious sound to erupt from her mouth. As the night wore on Caroline and Bonnie drifted home; they both offered to give Elena a lift, but she shook her head and said that she would find her way home. After reassuring both that he would get her home safely they both departed leaving Damon and Elena alone.

Throughout the night Elena continued to ask him questions…but for the first time they were about him. Sure, she asked questions about Stefan, but she also asked what his life was like. Where he had lived, what his favourite bands were, his favourite colour, his favourite decade. He thought she would inquire about Stefan whenever he came up in one of the stories, but she never pursued it, instead she seemed content to simply listen to his stories. The bartender had just called final call and Elena had finished the shot glass she was challenging Damon with when her shaking around next to him and throwing it in his face that he she had finished first made him splutter and a little bit of bourbon to dribble out of his mouth.

"Aww Damon do you need a bib?" Elena teased still having her hands raised above her in victory causing Damon to laugh at her.

"I'm sorry we can't all unhinge our jaws to drink alcohol like a snake" Damon teased back as she wrapped an arm around his and leaned her head down.

"Come on you have to get me home and to bed" Elena spoke starting to walk and pull him up from the chair at the same time.

"Oh Elena, I know you find me irresistible, but I will not go to bed with you on the first date" Damon replied as she spluttered at him before she realised, he was teasing her.

"You wish Salvatore" she shot back as they walked out of grill and into the chilly air.

They stood next to each other for a few moments before Elena smiled at him and started to walk towards her house with Damon falling into step beside her. They walked in comfortable silence, Damon had to steady Elena several times when she stumbled, she sent him several grateful smiles when he did this. Once they reached her house Damon followed her up the steps, he was reaching out with his sense trying to see if there any other vampires in the area while Elena unlocked the door. After she did, she turned and faced him giving him a soft smile while she leaned against the door frame.

"Thanks for tonight Damon, I actually had a lot of fun" Elena spoke smiling at him as he chuckled in response.

"You're not the worst company in the world Elena" Damon replied smiling at her, and for the next few moments they simply stared at each other, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Goodnight Elena" Damon spoke after several minutes before turning down and walking down the porch stairs.

He stopped once when he heard the door close and then as he went to continue his walk home, he stopped again. He wasn't sure why, but he found himself filled with worry and concern; what if Katherine came for Elena while she was asleep. Sighing to himself he walked back to her house, using the shadows and avoiding the streetlamps with ease and then settled himself beneath the tree he found sat outside Elena's bedroom window.

It was still on and Damon could hear the scratching of pen on paper from inside the room, he closed his eyes and slowly focused on the heartbeat coming from the room. As he sat down, he realised that he wasn't going to be going anywhere tonight and for the life of him he couldn't understand the sudden need to make sure Elena slept safely. If his brother or anyone asked he would simply say he didn't want Stefan's brooding annoying him for the rest of eternity, but deep down at had something more to do with the human girl currently turning out her light and settling in for the night.

**End of Chapter Note: What did everyone think, not a lot happened just some bonding between the characters. Next chapter see's Damon come face to face with Katherine for the first time in over a century…it's going to be interesting that's for sure. As always let me know what everyone thinks and till next time.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: Hi everyone, I hope you are all healthy in these crazy times. With COVID-19 sweeping the world we all have to do our part to stop this pandemic, so stay safe and stay healthy. **

**This chapter sort of exploded from what it was originally supposed to be, but my muse went out of control, I hope you all enjoy. Some events are revealed in this one, specifically how things have gone without Damon's presence there, thanks for everyone for has reviewed, favourited and followed the story. As always on with the show….**

**Chapter 3: Old Lovers Meet **

**Mystic Grill, **_**Mystic Falls, **_**Virginia**

**Late Evening**

_Damon Point of View_

Damon was currently sitting at the bar with Alaric, a bottle of bourbon between them and old jokes being shared between them. Damon was surprised by how quickly he had formed a with the man standing beside him in the two weeks since he had come back to town, but after discovering his story he had discovered a kindred spirit. His wife Isobel (who also happened to be Elena's mother) had ended up faking her death and turning herself into a vampire. Alaric thought that she had been murdered when in actuality she had simply disappeared to start her undead life without him. He had chased down vampires desperate for answers and in his quest a string of animal attacks had brought him to town.

Apparently, several months after Alaric had arrived Isobel had blown into town and started to make demands on behalf of all people, Katherine. She had tortured Elena for a device made by John Gilbert back in the 1860's. Damon had asked if he had tracked the vampire down who had turned his wife and Alaric had admitted he had but after finding out the truth Ric simply didn't have it in him for revenge. The story alone was enough to make Damon's head spin, but it had bonded he and Alaric together; they had been both been screwed over by Pierce women. At the present time Ric was just finishing up telling Damon a story which made Damon break out into laughter and almost become a high school teacher just for the entertainment.

"So, what did they say when you caught them in the janitor's closet?" Damon asked leaning on the bar and picking up his drink.

"Well after the girl put her top back on, I just told them to leave. I didn't want to deal with that headache" Ric replied causing Damon to shake his head.

"Awww Ric, you could have had some fun with that. Imagining walking them through the hall and having them explain it to the principal. That guy looks like he would keel over in a strong wind" Damon exclaimed causing Ric to laugh himself.

The door opening drew Damon's eyes away from Ric and he caught site of Elena walking into the bar…but there was something off about her. At first glance it was the hair, Elena's was often straight and uncurled whilst now she sported perfectly manicured curls, her clothing was darker than he was used to and finally the big giveaway for Damon at the moment was the absence of her necklace. When she smiled seductively at him and beckoned him out the door, that was the realization that it wasn't Elena he was looking at but the woman who had turned him, Katherine Pierce.

"Ric get to Elena's and make sure she is safe. Katherine is here" Damon spoke to Ric not taking his eyes off Katherine. Ric's eyes snapped up and followed his gaze, when he caught site of Katherine he swore and got up.

"What are you going to do?" Ric asked as Katherine beckoned Damon with a finger and walked out of the restaurant.

"Get some answers Ric…get some answers" Damon replied standing up and as he was walking, he stopped suddenly and turned back to Ric.

"Call Stefan, get to Elena's make sure she, Jeremy and Jenna are safe…now Ric" Damon snapped suddenly feeling extremely protective of the people he had only known for a week.

Damon didn't wait for a reply as he made his way towards the exit and out the door onto the street. There were several cars going down the street at this late hour and as he scanned it, he caught site of his sire leaning against a tree in the park across the road. Damon sped across the street and came to a stop with the woman he had been chasing for the last 145 years…the woman he thought he had loved.

"Katherine" Damon murmured taking her in, she looked identical to Elena but there were subtle differences he had detected in preparation for this meeting.

Katherine's mouth curved into a seductive smirk and she leaned sensually against the tree hiding them both from the road.

"Hello lover, been a long time. So, Stefan called in the big, bad brother to help stop me from terrorising the human copy of me" Katherine spoke as she fixed Damon with a heated look.

Damon took a step towards her, the woman he had been searching for the last century and a half stood in front of him but to his surprise he felt none of the longing he thought he would when he came face to face with her. But there was something that he needed to know, a question that had been burning in him since he awoke in transition. But he also had a plan and for the moment he needed to play up Katherine's impression that Damon was still obsessed with her. He carefully reached into his back pocket with one hand and took a hold of vervain dart he had stashed there, slipping it up his sleeve whilst plastering on a heartfelt expression on his face.

"Very brave of you to come here" Damon spoke carefully moving in even closer to Katherine, stopping close to her forcing her to tilt her head up at him.

"I wanted to say hello, personally welcome you back to Mystic Falls" Katherine spoke, leaning a hand on his chest and squeezing softly

"And what makes you think I even want to see you Katherine?" Damon questioned taking a step to stand beside her.

"Ouch, that hurts Damon we used to be so good together" Katherine replied a pout forming on her mouth.

"Don't pout. It's not attractive on a woman your age" Damon snarked back at her causing her to drop her hand and give him a sexy look.

"I don't remember you being this mean, what happened to my sweet Damon" Katherine asked.

Damon shakes his head and starts to walk out of the park away from Katherine, as he predicted Katherine super speeds in front of him blocking his escape.

"What, no goodbye kiss?" Katherine asks leaning into Damon as he slowly lowered the dart into his hand.

"Why don't I kill you instead? What are you doing here?" Damon questioned.

"Nostalgia, curiosity, et cetera. I missed you lover" Katherine replied.

"I'm better at the enigmatic one-liners, Katherine. What are you planning with Elena?" Damon asked causing Katherine to shake her head at him.

"Trust me Damon, when I'm up to something, you'll know it. Come on. Kiss me. Or kill me. Which will it be, Damon? We both know that you're only capable of one" Katherine spoke leaning into Damon's lips leaving only inches between them and as she inches closer towards his lips.

Damon turns and walks away. She rushes in front of him again and grabs him by the throat and then she pushes him back up against the tree.

"My sweet, innocent Damon" Katherines murmurs as Damon wraps his free hand around her waist.

Damon turns himself around and shoves her against the tree, grabbing her by the throat and then after a few seconds of hesitation he kisses her.

"That's more like it" Katherine murmurs for a moment before pulling him back down to her.

"Okay, wait, brief pause" Damon speaks breaking off the kiss but staying close to her, he admits to himself that he got lost in her kiss for a moment.

"I have a question. Answer it and it's back to fireworks and rockets' red glare. Answer it right and I'll forget the last one hundred and forty-five years that I've spent missing you. I'll forget how much I loved you, I'll forget everything, and we can start over. This could be our defining moment because we have the time. That's the beauty of eternity" Damon speaks actually meaning these words and as he gently caressed her face.

"I just need the truth, just once" Damon continues before Katherine takes his hands and removes them from her face, an expressionless mask falling into place there.

"Stop. I already know your question and its answer. The truth is...I've never loved you. It was always Stefan" Katherines says shattering what little was left of his heart, but in his place grew a resolve and as he felt the weight of the dart in his hand he smirked cruelly at Katherine.

"Thank you…Katherine, you just made this so much easier" Damon replies as his hand shoots and too quick for Katherine to stop, him the needle had broken her skin.

Damon pushes the plunger down and injected a dose large of vervain enough to put a vampire down three times over. Damon smirks as Katherine stumbles into the tree but it disappears after a moment when her head shoots up. The blood vessels under her eyes were crackling and she snarled revealing her fangs at Damon as he grabbed him and shoved him against the tree hard enough for a crack to sound out and Damon to feel several bones breaking in his chest and arm. Damon was shocked and caught off guard by the pain, and in that time, Katherine used that opportunity to disappear from his sight.

"Well…that could of went better…but could of went worse. Son of a bitch, I hate that women" Damon spoke to the empty park sliding down the tree and taking a few moments to gather himself, he punched the ground once to alleviate his frustrations of his failed attempt at getting Katherine.

**Gilbert Residence, **_**Mystic Falls, **_**Virginia**

_**A Short Time Later**_

_Elena Point of View _

It had been a tense time since Alaric had stumbled through the door, shoving it closed behind him and then making a mad beeline dash for his weapons that he had started to store in the basement once Jenna had been brought in on the supernatural secret. He had shouted at her at to call Stefan and to get him over, which had caused Bonnie and Jeremy to come down the stairs from his room and ask what was happening. Alaric had come back up the stairs a short time later whilst on the phone with Jenna telling her to stay on campus and that Katherine was running around again.

When Stefan had finally showed up Alaric had gathered everyone in the living room and told them that he and Damon had ran into Katherine. Damon was currently attempting to subdue her and after finding this out Stefan had whipped out his phone and started to call Damon to no avail. Elena had felt a sudden rush of concern for the elder Salvatore; though he had only been in town a short time they'd had quickly bonded together and she had come to realise she came to count him as a friend quite quickly. The night where he took her, Caroline and Bonnie out at the Grill and insisted she have a five-minute time out from her life they had started to form their bond.

Something she hadn't admitted to anyone, not even Bonnie or Caroline yet was how attracted she was to him. When he had first entered the boarding house, her breathe had been stolen from her, and it hadn't helped matters that Caroline was constantly saying how attractive she found him. The reason she hadn't told her friends was the attraction went deeper than a mere physical one; Damon seemed to understand her on a level on not even Stefan did and that absolutely terrified her. The conversations between her and Damon were effortless, he seemed to understand when she needed to be pushed and when she needed to be left alone. And now with the knowledge that Damon was out their facing Katherine on his own; she knew Damon was more powerful than Stefan he was still younger than her by centuries and he was facing her down alone.

It hadn't helped when Stefan had explained that his brother had a reckless streak, he often was impulsive and rash diving headfirst into a situation before thinking it through. The thought of Stefan made Elena turn her head and look at him where he stood at the lounge room window looking out into the night for a sign of his brother. Thinking of Stefan sent her heart into a frenzy and not in the way that she enjoyed, the fear she felt at the sight of him still hadn't quite gone away yet.

Ever since the night of the Mystic Falls pageant and she had seen the him lose control things had changed between them. Stefan had been kidnapped by the tomb vampires which had been unleashed by Anna in her quest to save her mother and after a day of torture she, Alaric and Bonnie had been able to rescue him. However, in the escape Stefan had been injured and Elena had fed him her blood in order to help him. To say he had changed after that day was an understatement to say the least, he had lied to Elena and said he hadn't been drinking human blood when he had been stealing blood bags from the local blood bank. Stefan's behaviour had continued to be erratic until the night of the pageant when events had come to a head. Elena had confronted him about his behaviour and even said that he was still on human blood, after the argument Stefan had disappeared and Elena had been left without an escort forcing her to withdraw from the pageant.

She had been humiliated and had travelled over to the Salvatore boarding house with Bonnie who had stopped trusting Stefan since he had been back onto human blood. Elena had convinced Bonnie to stay in the car, which in hindsight had been a mistake. What nobody knew was that Stefan had disappeared with another contestant from the pageant, a girl named Amber and Elena had chosen the wrong time to confront him. Elena had found him with the Amber's corpse in the Salvatore boarding house lounge room and before she had a chance to do anything other than scream Stefan had been on her, his fangs piercing her neck with his mind lost to the bloodlust.

Bonnie had heard Elena's scream and had made it into the house just in time to brain blast Stefan off Elena and into unconsciousness. Elena had lost too much blood and Bonnie had been forced to take Elena to the hospital, the girls had said it had been an animal attack but Jenna already suspicious of Stefan and the events that had been happening in town had confronted her niece in hospital. Beaten and hurt, both physically and mentally, Elena had broken down to her Aunt and the truth of what had been happening had spilled out. The sound of a car pulling up into the Gilbert driveway made Elena shoot up on concern and start to walk towards the front door, but she was stopped half-way there by Stefan.

"Wait, we don't know if its him" Stefan said holding out a hand whilst he listened for a moment before he shook his head and let Elena pass.

Damon was walking up the front steps, still healing from the short confrontation with Katherine gingerly, the blood bags he had drunk were still doing their job of healing and he wasn't one hundred percent when he felt a warm body collide with his causing him to cry out in pain.

"Damon, are you ok?" Elena murmured backing away slightly still holding him in her eyes concern lighting up her face.

"Yeah, I'm good, just my pride and ego are busted…plus an arm and a couple of ribs but I'm ok. Better than, huh who knew getting hurt could come with such good benefits" Damon replied wiggling his eyebrows indicating the hold she had on him.

She shot away and almost went to smack him when she saw him favouring his right side, his arm curled up to his chest. She rolled her eyes and turn to walk back into the house to find that Stefan was standing there watching their movements with a blank look on his face.

"You've looked better" Stefan spoke as Damon started to walk up the stairs with Elena trailing closely behind him.

"Yeah well my plan didn't exactly work out did it?" Damon said sarcastically as he walked in the Gilbert house and took a seat in one of the chairs.

"What the hell were you thinking Damon?" Stefan questioned angrily as Damon sat up and looked his brother in the eye.

"I saw an opportunity to take Katherine out and I took it…by the way thanks for telling me about her high tolerance to vervain. I stuck her with a needle full and all it did was slow her down" Damon replied matching his brothers' tone while Elena shot Stefan a dark look.

"Stefan didn't tell you she's drinking vervain; original vampires can compel other vampires. You should be drinking vervain as well" Elena spoke whilst continuing to shoot daggers at Stefan making Damon raise his eyebrows.

"That would have been useful information to know" Damon replied sensing the tension rise between Elena and Stefan.

"Yeah, well I didn't know you about your stupid plan either" Stefan replied causing Damon to gasp in mock outrage.

"Hey, I don't have bad plans…just poorly executed awesome ones" Damon replied shifting again causing him to cry out in pain and Elena to move and sit beside him.

"You're still hurt" Elena murmured wanting to reach out and touch him, but she knew that Damon wouldn't accept that…and because Stefan was still standing in the room.

"I'm good, just need to rest and catch my breath. Wanted to make sure everything was ok here first" Damon replied causing Stefan to stand up.

"Ok…I'm going to check on Caroline. I'll see you back at the boarding house…I'm glad you're ok brother" Stefan murmured clasping his brother on the shoulder, Damon smiled at his brother who swiftly left the house, the door slamming shut caused Elena to turn to Damon.

"Ok, enough with the 'I'm fine', let me see how badly you're hurt" Elena murmured causing Damon to give her a look.

"I'm fine Elena, really I had a couple of blood bags on th-agghh what was that for?" Damon cried out midsentence as Elena poked him in the ribs and after his cry, as Elena raised her eyebrows in victory.

"Yeah, you're fine. Take off your shirt or I swear I will vervain you" Elena cried out as Damon wiggled his eyebrows in her direction.

"If you wanted to see me shirtless all you had to do was ask" Damon replied leering suggestively at her. She merely continued to glare at him causing him to sigh and sit up, he unbuttoned his shirt but as he came to the bottom he realised he wouldn't be able to remove the shirt without her help or else he would be in immense pain.

"Help a guy out, will you?" Damon asked causing Elena to reach for him, both chose to ignore the way Elena's hands shook as she reached his shirt and helped him get it off.

"Oh my god" Elena murmured as Damon's torso came into view, Elena tried to control her breathing and the tears that sprang to her eyes

The right side of his chest was completely bruised black but as Elena watched his skin was healing before her eyes, the skin turning back to its original colour. His right arm she saw was at a wrong angle, it was bent midway and she realised it had yet to heal…he had only drunk two blood bags before rushing over. She reached out slowly and softly placed her hand on his bare left shoulder causing him to sigh and to her shock relax slightly at Elena's touch.

"I'm ok Elena, it'll heal" Damon murmured reaching up and grabbing her hand, he squeezed it softly before he removed it and started to put his shirt back on.

After he was done, he turned around to face her after a few moments and their eyes became lost in each other, his heightened sense picked up on her elevated heartbeat and he saw her moisten her lips unconsciously. The sound of the front door opening caused them to snap out of their daze and they looked over as Alaric came back in and saw the two on the couch.

"You ok Damon?" Ric asked with a small amount of concern in his voice causing Damon to shake his head at his new friend.

"Take more than Katherine to take me out my friend" Damon replied causing Ric to chuckle and start to head up the stairs.

"I better go too, it's getting late" Damon replied standing up, his words however caused her to grab his arm as he went to leave.

"Wait, Damon…can you stay? I'm worried that Katherine will come back" Elena murmured causing Damon to frown at her but also to take his seat.

"Elena…Katherine won't be back tonight; you have nothing to worry about" Damon replied causing Elena to grab his hand and look him in the eyes.

"Please…I feel safe around you" Elena murmured her cheeks burning red from admitting why she wanted him to stay.

"Ok, I guess I can crash on the couch…but you owe me one Ms Gilbert" Damon replied waggling his finger at her causing her to laugh at him.

"Thanks Damon, it means a lot" Elena murmured standing up and going to gather some supplies for him to sleep.

Damon kicked off his boots and shrugged his jacket off as Elena came back down the stairs a pillow and blanket in her arms. She handed them to him and murmured another thank you before she whispered a goodnight and darted back up the stairs, the sound of her door clicking shut reached Damon as he laid out on the couch. After Elena entered her room she quickly went into the bathroom and started her nightly routine, taking a pair of boy shorts and camisole into the bathroom with her. After she changed and brushed her teeth she returned to her room, turning out the lights and climbing into bed. For the next hour Elena tossed and turned unable to find a comfortable position in her bed whilst her thoughts were filled by the blue-eyed vampire currently on her couch downstairs.

Finally after giving up on sleep she decided to venture downstairs and grab a glass of water (she wasn't hoping that Damon was up), as she creeped down the stairs and living room came into sight she saw that there was an old World War 2 documentary playing. Damon's head spun around from his seat on the couch causing Elena's breath to catch as her eyes met his.

"You're up late" Damon murmured as Elena came into the lounge room and stood beside the couch Damon was sitting on.

"So are you" Damon murmured shifting his focus back to the TV, but Elena felt like he was a world away.

"Just getting a drink" Elena murmured walking into kitchen and getting a glass.

When she had filled it, she had walked back into the lounge room she noticed Damon's posture hadn't shifted and he seemed to be lost in his own world. When she had glanced into his eyes, she had seen a glimpse of pain before he had shuttered it away beneath the wall, he seemed to build around himself. Elena knew she should of went upstairs but something compelled her to walk back into lounge room and take a seat beside Damon on the couch, the noise of her placing the glass on the table caused Damon to finally realise he was no longer alone.

"Thought you were going back to bed" Damon murmured looking her way before he turned his attention back to the TV.

"Are you ok Damon…you seem off?" Elena questioned softly causing Damon to snort.

"Yeah I'm peachy Elena…just the women who I loved for the last century and a half never loved me. It was always Stefan" Damon muttered with a large amount of bitterness colouring his voice, his words sent a stab of pain through Elena's heart and for her to reach place her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Damon" Elena murmured leaning down carefully and pulling him into a side hug offering what comfort she could. After a few moments Damon lifted his arm and wrapped it around her squeezing gently.

"Thank you, Elena," Damon murmured rubbing his cheek in her hair for a moment before they both lapsed back into silence.

As they both watched the documentary Elena felt herself start to drift away, before she finally fell asleep, she felt Damon relax and start to let out gentle snores. She should of went back up to her room back she felt safe and warm for the first time in a long time and her last thoughts before she drifted off was that she would sleep for five minutes before returning to bed.

**End of Author's Note: Well what did everyone think, please let me know with a review, if you enjoy this story, I currently have another work in progress called a Change in Destiny, feel free to check it out. Stay safe and healthy out there and 'till next time.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Hi everyone, sorry for the long delay on this chapter but I have been busy the last month with the wife, hope everyone is safe and healthy anyways here is the next chapter, hope you all enjoy. **

Chapter Four: Wait, Werewolves…

**Mystic Grill, **_**Mystic Falls, **_**Virginia**

_Damon Point of View_

Damon had just gotten through with a patrol around Mystic Falls keeping a look out for Katherine but so far, she hadn't shown her face. It had been several days since Damon's attempt at taking Katherine down and he once again cursed himself for not having enough vervain. Once again Damon's mind drifted back to the morning after his and Katherines confrontation and his heart and mind filled with emotions, he couldn't recognise. He'd woken up on the Gilbert couch as the sun had started to rise and for a moment he was confused until a warmth and movement on his shoulder made him remember the events. He had looked down and found himself staring into Elena's sleeping face, a look of peace there making his heart leap and he want to do things that was very confusing.

Damon had picked Elena's sleeping form up and sped her up the stairs placing her gently in her bed and pull the covers up. He'd stood up after next to her bed but something in him compelled him to stay for a few moments simply staring at her sleeping form for a few moments before he raised a hand hesitantly and softly stroked it down the cheek of her face causing her to sigh and her to turn towards him. He drawn his hand back as if it had been scalded with vervain and vampire sped out of there before he did anything else, he couldn't explain. As Damon brought himself back to the present and back the Grill, he surveyed it quickly looking for a specific brunette; not that he was avoiding her…he was just actively trying not to be in the same room as her. As he made his way towards the bar, he sensed someone looking at him, as he ordered his drink, he quickly surveyed the room quickly finding a mousy haired man in his early thirty's staring at him.

He didn't like the look he was seeing in the man's eyes; he'd seen it before…in the basement amongst the Augustine members society as they'd cut him open and taken his inside out to test his limits. He made sure to keep an eye on the man but Alaric coming into the Grill made him smile and order a second drink from the bartender for his friend…wait _FRIEND_. Damon didn't have friends…not since Enzo and now he found himself ordering a drink for human and think of him as his friend. First there was whatever the hell Elena was making him feel and now he was referring to Alaric as his friend.

"Thanks Damon I needed this" Alaric spoke coming to sit on the stool next to Damon disrupting him from his thoughts.

"If I was surrounded by teenagers all day I would be drinking as well. Next one's on you though" Damon snarked back making Alaric shake his head. Damon once again looked over at the mousy haired man who was now looking at Alaric with a frown coming over his face causing Damon to raise an eyebrow.

"Who's the guy who can't take his eyes off you?" Damon asked indicating the man who had been looking at the pair at the bar, Alaric looked quickly and sighed a frown coming over his face.

"That would be John Gilbert, he's Jeremy and Elena's Uncle…he's also Elena's biological father" Alaric replied causing Damon to shake his head in disbelief.

"Wait-what, I'm lost, explain that one to me" Damon replied causing Ric to sigh and start a long explanation of Elena's parentage.

He explained that Elena's birth parents had died just over a year ago and after had come to town it had revealed several months later that her parents who had passed away wasn't her birth parents. In fact, Isobel, Alaric's wife had been the birth mother and Elena's Uncle John was in fact her biological father. When Elena had found out she had been hurt and confused but the whole situation made him shake his head in disbelief.

"What the hell have I stepped into, an episode of One Tree Hill or something?" Damon said causing Ric to snort in laughter and Damon to smile at his friend.

A sudden hint of vanilla mixed with lavender made Damon tense up as he looked towards the door and spotted Elena walking in with Bonnie. Their eyes met for several moments before Damon broke eye contact and looked back at Ric who was looking at him with a questioning look on his face.

"What are you looking at you?" Damon asked as he took a gulp of his drink trying to calm his suddenly frayed nerves.

"Nothing, just looking at you have eye sex with Elena from across the Grill" Ric replied casually causing Damon to choke on his drink and make Ric laugh.

"You alright there Damon" Ric replied with a hint of laughter in his face as Damon stopped coughing and shot Ric a dark look.

"No idea what you are talking about Ric" Damon murmured causing Ric to shake his head in disbelief.

"What about the sleep over you had with Elena the other day, that never happen either?" Ric asked causing Damon to freeze and look away from his friend.

"How do you know about that?" Damon asked softly causing Ric to shake his head.

"You do realise I almost live at the Gilbert house right; I came back with Jenna and we saw you on the couch" Ric replied causing Damon to shake his head.

"Nothing happened, I was hurt and didn't want to go home at the time, there was nothing to it" Damon replied trying to downplay the moment, suddenly Damon saw his brother rush in and look around the bar a look of panic on his face. He spotted Damon and quickly made his way over to him coming to a stop beside Ric and Damon.

"We have a problem, the werewolves have Caroline" Stefan replied a hint of urgency in his face, the words he spoke made Damon shake his head in disbelief again.

"Wait, who has blondie…werewolves? Stefan you didn't tell me there were werewolves in Mystic Falls" Damon hissed at his brother, once again shaking his head in denial, _What the hell, is Mystic Falls cursed _Damon thought to himself. Elena and Bonnie who had spotted Stefan's distressed look as he had walked in started to make their way over to the brothers and Alaric.

"Look werewolves are real, they change into dangerous wolves on full moons and the only way to kill them to our knowledge is to rip their hearts out or heads off" Stefan replied as Elena and Bonnie came to stand close to the brothers.

"What's going on?" Elena asked worriedly looking from Stefan to Damon.

"The wolves have Caroline; they want to exchange Tyler for Caroline" Stefan replied making Damon shake his head.

"Where is this Tyler guy?" Damon asked as Stefan turned towards him.

"In the trunk of my car, we need to move their probably…torturing Care as we speak" Stefan spoke a hint of urgency in his voice as Damon stood up.

"What are we waiting for, I've been itching for a fight" Damon murmured throwing the rest of his drink back as Elena and Bonnie came to stand beside them causing Damon to shake his head.

"Oh no, no, no, hell no you two will only get in the way" Damon told them when suddenly Bonnie held out her hand and an intense pain started in Damon's brain almost making Damon buckle over when it disappeared as suddenly as it came.

"What the hell was that?" Damon asked as Bonnie smirked at him.

"I'm a witch Damon, I'm coming too" Bonnie spoke a hard look coming over her face

"Damon, it's Caroline I'm not sitting this one out" Bonnie murmured making Damon shake his head in resignation.

"Ok witches can come but Elena you're staying here" Damon replied causing Elena to shake her head.

"No, I'm coming too" she replied to Damon who started to shake his head even more.

"Bonnie has magic, Stefan and I are vampires. I don't know anything about werewolves other than what Stefan here is telling me" Damon said causing Elena to shake her head.

"I need to worry about getting your friend out of there ok, I can't fight and protect you at the same time ok. I need you to stay out of it please, I'll get your friend back but I can't keep you safe at the same time" Damon murmured gently a caring tone in his voice, Damon had almost forgotten Stefan was there until he cleared his throat.

"Ric keep her here we will be back with Caroline" Damon spoke looking at Ric who suddenly grabbed her causing her to struggle against him and look at Damon.

"Damon, I can't just wait here, she's my friend" Elena desperately spoke causing Damon to lean down to her so the whole bar wouldn't hear.

"I get it Elena, I do she's like your family alright, we'll get her back ok just trust me" Damon murmured causing Elena to still and look him in eye.

"Promise me something and I'll stay here ok?" Elena questioned causing Damon to shake his head at her.

"I'll bring her back I promise" Damon murmured as Elena looked away from him.

"Not just that Damon…promise me you'll be safe and come back…you and Stefan I mean" Elena stuttered as she remembered that Stefan was standing right behind her. Her words again sent a flutter through his heart, he hoped that Stefan was only tacked on to safe herself embarrassment and what she really meant was _Come back to me _Damon thought.

"You worry too much, as if a couple of mutts could take out the eternal stud" Damon snarked waggling his eyebrows at her causing her to smile through her worry.

"Let's go Witchy, brother, we need to get Blondie back" Damon spoke looking at his brother for the first time who was looking between himself and Elena as if he was trying to figure out a puzzle.

Damon walked out followed closely behind by the witch and his brother, as he came to a stop outside and saw Stefan's car, he started towards it but his brother's hand shooting out and stopping made him turn to face Stefan.

"You want to tell me what that was about?" Stefan spoke jealously colouring his tone making sigh.

"It was nothing broody ok, obviously Elena just wants to make sure we come back safe" Damon said hoping his brother believe the words more than he did.

"It didn't look like nothing" Stefan replied his brown furrowing as Damon shook his head.

"Look we don't have time for this, get in the car Stefan" Damon spoke causing Stefan to look at him one more time before he started to move towards his red Porsche. Damon suddenly came face to face with Bonnie who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on her face.

"For the record Elena didn't mention _me _coming back safe and I'm her best friend" Bonnie said implying something in her tone that Damon really didn't want to think about.

"Get in the car witch" Damon snarked turning his back on Bonnie and moving towards the car. He needed to make sure Elena was safe and he needed to do it before the young doppelganger brought out anymore feelings he didn't want to deal with. A banging and the sounds of shouts came from the rear of the car making Damon laugh and move towards the car, sitting in the front after Bonnie had taken a seat in the back.

"Ok Stefan, tell me everything I need to know about killing werewolves" Damon said as Stefan started the car and raced down the street squealing tires sound in their wake.

_Outskirts of Mystic Falls Forest _

Stefan had parked off the road, the forest of Mystic Falls spread out before them, he and Damon stepped hesitantly out of the car with Damon telling Bonnie to stay put just in case there were wolfs waiting here to ambush them. After a few moments Damon indicated for Bonnie to get out of the car whilst Stefan walked to the back, opening his trunk and pulling the werewolf Tyler Lockwood out of it. His hands were bound, and he had a strip of duct tape over his mouth which would explain why they were only hearing muffled shouts coming from the back of the car. Damon walked around to the back of the car as Stefan dragged Tyler to him, who struggled against his binds.

"So, this is what's happening, the rest of your litter has Caroline and if I'm guessing right, they're currently torturing her. So, they want you, but you make one wrong move and I'll rip your heart out, do you understand me Fido?" Damon menacingly said to Tyler who froze at the Caroline's name, before gesturing to Damon and indicating to the duct tape then showing the hand signal for speaking.

"You want to make a deal? Ok, I'm going to remove the duct tape, but you make a sound and you get a newspaper to the nose got that?" Damon mocked Tyler who simply gave him a death stare before Damon ripped off the tape from his mouth.

"Ow, you dick…wait was you telling the truth, does the pack really have Care?" Tyler asked looking between Damon and Stefan.

"Yeah, she is, what's it to you?" Damon asked wondering why a werewolf would care what happens to a vampire.

"They have a thing Damon" Stefan murmured making Tyler look away uncomfortably while Damon started to laugh to him.

"Really you have a thing for the Blondie. Ok you might be able to help" Damon replied a sudden change of plans entering his mind.

"What are you thinking Damon?" Stefan asked as Bonnie looked on in silence.

"The wolfs won't expect one of their own betraying them…so if this goes sideway Tyler should be able to sneak in and get Blondie out" Damon spoke to his brother who furrowed his eyebrows in thought.

"What do we do if this goes sideways?" Bonnie asked as Stefan looked at his older brother who had a hard look come over his face.

"You and Bonnie stick to together, kill as many as you can, and I'll clear the way for you" Damon murmured as Stefan looked at his brother worriedly.

"We should stick together Damon" Stefan said causing Damon to shake his head.

"No, I need you and Bonnie to draw as many away as you can ok? I'm stronger and faster than you. Bonnie will need help she's a witch but she still has human reflexes and Bonnie you can watch my brothers back" Damon murmured causing an embarrassed look to come over his face which caused Damon to sigh and placed a hand on his brothers shoulder trying to reassure him.

"Look, this is why you called me here. I'm stronger and faster with you on animal blood ok so just follow the plan and we will make it out" Damon replied as he looked at other gathered around him.

"Tyler, we will loosen the ropes so you can get free but until needed pretend to heel got it?" Damon to the wolf who rolled his eyes at him.

"Anyone ever call you a dick?" Tyler replied.

"Yeah, pretty much everyone I know. Come on we have a blonde vampire to rescue" Damon said turning and walking into the forest the others following closely behind him.

Damon stopped for a moment reaching out with his sense made him growl in rage, he could hear Caroline's screams and cries of pain coming from deep in the forest. Rage filled Damon as images started to assault his mind, the time spent in a cell with nothing but day after day of torture to look forward to. From what he had seen of Caroline she hadn't done anything to deserve this type of treatment, she was a bit ditzy for Damon's taste but still she was there for Elena when her friend had ever needed her. After walking through the forest for twenty minutes a light in the distance caught Damon's attention, he stopped and sniffed the air growling as he did.

"We're almost there" Damon growled stomping off towards the light in the forest.

The others struggled to keep pace as Damon came to a stop beside the campfire which had been located in the a clearing, standing next to the fire was an old and battered RV, from inside the smell of vervain and blood overpowered his senses; judging from the growling coming from Stefan he had just smelt what he had and was raging at what had been happening to the blonde.

"Yoohooo, anybody home…bid bad vampire out here" Damon called out as the RV door opened, showing a tanned woman with dirty blonde hair appearing in the door.

When she spotted them, she stepped out whistling as she did. Suddenly Damon could sense at least twelve other heart beats moving out of the forest and coming to surround the rescue party.

"About time you showed up, I was getting bored torturing the blonde, I mean don't get me wrong it was fun but it was getting stale" the women said coming to a stop a few feet away from the as the other wolves moved to surround Damon, Bonnie, Stefan and Tyler.

"Jules, we have Tyler, you let Caroline go and we can all be on our way" Stefan said to the women, Jules who simply started them down.

"Give us Tyler and we send Caroline on her way" Jules replied a causing Damon to chuckle.

"My brother, always the peacekeeper. Give us Caroline and I don't start removing heats from their chests starting with yours" Damon growled hoping for a fight, the monster screaming in him for bloodshed and death.

"You really think you can take us?" the women asked in disbelief as Damon looked around the group before looking back at Jules.

"It's not a full moon, and if you really wanted to kill me…you should have brought more wolfs" Damon growled his senses heightening preparing for the fight.

"Hey, before we get started which one of you killed Mason?" one of the men called out from the group, Damon saw flash of guilt cross his face before he started to speak, but he was cut off by Damon who knew the look of guilt on his brothers face.

"Ah, that'd be me" Damon said pointing at himself as the group suddenly focused on him, the man who questioned him raised the stake in his hand and pointed directly at Damon.

"Make sure that one suffers" the man growled as the wolves closed ranks further surrounding the group as Damon let his vampire side take over, instinct guiding him.

The clearing was silent for a few moments, nothing, not even the trees blew in the tense atmosphere that had just settled over the two groups. Suddenly Damon moved towards the closest two to him on his left whilst Jules stayed where she was. Damon ducked a swing from the first wolf on the right, ducking under him and reaching out at the same time. The squashing sound of Damon ripping into his chest and ripping out his heart met his hears making the monster in him cry out in exhilaration. Damon quickly vamp sped away from the trailer breaking four away from the main group and coming to stand in front of him. Damon spotted Bonnie hands held up with several months already collapsed to the ground whilst others were groaning and trying to reach for him but before they could Stefan would be there to rip their hearts out. Jules lead the group who decided to make Damon their target, while he had their attention, he spotted Tyler free of his ropes making his way into the RV not being spotted.

Damon moved in on the group blocking a punch from the left while swinging out and connecting a punch sending one sprawling away. A kick connected with the back of his leg sending him to his knees, Damon looked up and saw two legs streaking towards him. He raised his fore arms blocking both from connecting, standing quickly he reached out and grabbed a leg bringing an elbow down on it hearing the crack of bone breaking. The cries were drowned out as Damon growled moving quickly behind another werewolf and ripping his heart out. A cry followed by a body impacting him sent Damon sprawling across the clearing into a tree. Damon stood up leaning on the tree looking at the last three who were still capable of fighting.

Behind them he spotted Caroline standing weakly against Tyler as they stumbled out of the RV, Bonnie and Stefan finished with the last two made their way over. Stefan seeing his brother outnumbered he ran over as Caroline with Bonnie and Tyler's help slowly limped away from the clearing and into the darkened forest. Standing side by side Damon and Stefan dropped into defensive stances, readying themselves. They were soon joined by two that either Stefan missed or had recently joined them came two a stop. After several moments Stefan let his face return to normal holding up a hand.

"There's been enough blood shed here tonight, leave Mystic Falls and don't come back. No-one else has to die tonight" Stefan said trying to stop the mood.

Jules looked at him for a moment, seizing him up as if trying to figure if they could kill the Salvatore Brothers with the wolfs that were left. After a few moments she back down and indicated for the others to do so as well. Stefan let out a sigh before nodding his head and turning to look away before he noticed Damon was still sizing them up, completely given over to the demon inside.

"Damon, we have Caroline it's enough" Stefan murmured as Damon looked at him stopping his movement and allowing his face to revert back to the human façade.

"You come back here I'll rip all your hearts out brother or no brother I will kill you all…you do not come to _my _town, and hurt people I care about" Damon growled thoughts of a young brunette in Caroline's place filling his heart with rage.

Damon and Stefan slowly made their away from the clearing and back towards the car, after a few moments of silence Stefan finally broke it as they started to near the car.

"Why do I get the feeling you were talking about someone else, and not Caroline?" Stefan asked looking at his brother sideways, Damon's expression giving nothing away.

"I don't know what you're talking about Stefan" Damon ground out as they came to a stop near where they had parked the car.

"You sure about that?" Stefan asked a jealous tone entering his voice.

"There's nothing there Stefan so drop it" Damon said as they came into sight of the car. Damon looked around and realising they would need a bigger car and looked at Stefan throwing his car keys at him.

"Go get my car, I'll keep an eye out here make sure the wolfs don't come back" Damon said to his brother hoping to get him to leave and drop the subject.

"Alright, but we are continuing this later" Stefan replied before he disappeared in a blur leaving Damon with one werewolf, a teenage witch and a traumatised vampire.

Damon moved over to where they were standing, Bonnie was looking her at her hands while they shook, a shocked look on her face while Tyler was currently trying to comfort Caroline through the open door as she was placed in the car with a blanket around her. Damon stopped, taking in the scene before him before he moved first to Bonnie grabbing her shaking hand and her attention.

"You did good Bon" Damon murmured calling her by her first name since he had arrived in town, Bonnie took a breath and tried to smile but it came out more as a grimace instead.

"I killed people tonight Damon…and not vampires but people" Bonnie murmured burying her face in her hands.

"No, you saved your friends life. That is what you did tonight" Damon murmured squeezing her hand softly before walking over to Tyler and Caroline.

"Give us a second Lockwood, need to speak with Blondie a moment" Damon said indicating from Tyler to move, Tyler went to protest but Caroline held up her hand.

"It's ok Tyler, I'll be ok" she murmured as Tyler, taking one last look decided to walk several metres away.

Damon looked down at Caroline and winced in pain when he saw the blood that covered her clothes, the many cuts and bullet holes that still hadn't healed. He could smell the vervain on her and noted several burns that must have been left over from her torture.

"Blondie…I know how you are feeling right now and trust me when I say this…but _don't_ turn it off" Damon murmured as Caroline looked up at him shocked that he had figured out what she was thinking.

"They tortured me Damon…for over a day they tortured me and every time I stop and close my eyes, I just seeing the knife all over again" Caroline replied as tears filled her eyes. Damon smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder trying to provide some small comfort to her.

"You have your friends, let them be there for you Caroline" Damon spoke causing Caroline to smile for the first time.

"You called me Caroline" the young vampire replied causing a mock frown to come over his face.

"Don't go spreading that around" Damon murmured as he moved to move away from her before she reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Thank you for helping rescue me Damon" Caroline murmured as Damon moved away from her and stand beside Bonnie.

"Is there anything you used to do when one you were having a bad day?" Damon asked looking down at Bonnie who looked up at him then back to Caroline.

"We would have sleep overs…why?" Bonnie asked as Damon started to take his phone out and give it to Bonnie.

"Call Elena, tell her what clothes you want to pack and remember I want pictures if a naked pillow fight breaks out" Damon replied calling Elena.

**Forbes Residence, Mystic Falls **

Damon stood just out of sight as he watched his brother drop Caroline off as Elena walked down to meet her and she, with Bonnie beside her pulled the young vampire into a group hug. That had been several hours ago, and Damon stood outside in the forest, keeping an eye out for werewolves with nothing but dark thoughts to keep him company. The girls had fallen asleep several minutes ago and as he kept his senses trained on the forest, he almost missed the soft footsteps creeping up on him. Swinging around he took in the sight of Elena in small blue boy shorts with a purple camisole on, her hands were gently rubbing her fore arms as he stood a few feet away.

"Thought I might find you out here" Elena murmured as Damon turned to look back at the house trying to hide his embarrassment at being caught.

"You know me, trying to the neighbourhood watch" Damon replied trying to ignore how the sight of Elena in short shorts made him feel. Elena smiled and walked over to him softly pulling him in for a hug before she kissed his cheek quickly and moved away.

"Thank you for rescuing my friend Damon" Elena murmured as she turned and walked back into the house leaving Damon standing there.

"Anytime Elena" Damon murmured trying to ignore how the feel of her soft lips on his cheek made his heart race.

**End of Chapter Note: What did everyone think, sorry there wasn't more Delena but this is more of a slow burn story but we will get there before long, let me know what you thought of the story with a review, and thank you all who have Reviewed, Followed and Favourited the story, till next time.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I have updated this chapter and fixed some mistakes, so here is the reupload. Hope you all are staying safe during this COVID-19 time, it is a generation changing event and I hoping everyone is staying safe and their families are as well. Anyways on with you the show…**

**Chapter Five: A Weekend Away**

**Mystic Grill, **_**Mystic Falls, **_**Virginia**

_Damon Point of View_

It had been a week since Stefan and Damon had rescued Caroline from the pack of wolves and Damon had only started off to relax that very same day. He had been Elena's shadow (though he had not told her that) as well as checking in on both the Bennet and Forbes residence. Caroline had come over the day after she had been kidnapped and had asked him to begin training her and he had promised to give her some pointers. He had to admit the blonde vampire impressed with the control she had over her bloodlust at such a young age, he had taken her to the Mystic Grill and given her a quick lesson on compulsion. It was midday on Friday when Jenna came into the Grill with Alaric, Jeremy, and Elena in tow. Elena smiled at him as they made their way over to him, she quickly pulled him into a quick hug that had served as her greeting for him since he and his brother had rescued Caroline.

"Hey what are you three not doing in school?" Damon asked as Jenna and Alaric placed an order and Jeremy got a seat while Elena pulled back and sat down next to him.

"It's our yearly get-away, we're heading up to my family's lake house and are going to spend the weekend there" Elena murmured as a cup of coke was placed in front of her.

"Stefan didn't mention he was going" Damon murmured thinking back on their conversations.

His brother was acting rather suspicious the last couple of days, he had been disappearing from the boarding house and speaking in hushed tones with people on the phone that Damon could not quite make out. Maybe this was why he was acting so weird, perhaps he was trying to get prepare for a little family get together. Suddenly Damon realized that Elena and her family could be in danger; Damon was not sure if the wolves were still in town and the ever-present threat of Klaus and Katherine made the thoughts of them escaping his sight cause his chest to constrict in a painful way he didn't quite understand.

The camper wolves had used as a base had disappeared by the time Damon went searching for it the day after when Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena had gone to school.

"Stefan's not coming, it's just us" Elena replied as Jenna and Alaric went to sit by Jeremy while Elena stayed up on a barstool next Damon.

"What do you mean it's just you, you can't leave town without protection" Damon replied with more panic than he cared to admit.

"I'm not some damsel in distress Damon, I can handle myself" Elena argued back making Damon roll his eyes.

"I'm not just talking about you, Jeremy, Ric and Jenna are human too and the supernatural world doesn't play by your rules" Damon replied causing Elena to soften her look at him.

"You're worried about all of us…not just me" Elena spoke after a few moments and look she gave him, almost daring him to lie to her pierced his soul and he found himself unable to deny her words.

"You guys can't leave without protection" Damon instead said ignoring her look and her words.

"Well then come with us?" Elena asked looking away from Damon and down at her food which had just been deposited in front of her.

"You…you want me to come up with you?" Damon asked in shock as Elena looked up at him and smile.

"Yeah, I do Damon…you're not the worst company in the world" Elena murmured sharing a secret smile with him.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world" Damon murmured at each other.

"Let me clear it with Jenna, I don't think she will say no but there will only be a sofa bed left, sorry" Elena replied as she stood up and walked over her aunt.

After a quick conversation, Elena returned to her chair next to Damon smiling at him saying her aunt had given him the ok, not only that but Elena had decided to ride up there with Damon causing another smile to appear on his face.

**Gilbert Lake House, **_**Several Hundred Miles **_

_**From Mystic Falls, **_**Virginia**

_Damon Point of View_

Damon and Elena pulled up to the Elena's Lakehouse, it was just past eight o clock by the time they reached the lake house because Damon needed to get some supplies. After that, the two-hour drive up to lake house seemed to fly by, Elena was a good road trip companion (he did put his foot down at her playing Taylor Swift). They spent hours talking with each other about nothing and everything whilst occasionally singing along to whatever song they had decided to play. Damon normally would not take this long to make a journey of this length, but he took his time with the car ride enjoying having Elena to himself. Damon maneuvered the car beside Ric's jeep and put the car into park.

"Well, will I made it, even with you screaming like a banshee all the way up" Damon snarked as he opened the car as his words caused Elena to roll her eyes.

"Please I am a great singer, you're the one who can't sing to save his life" Elena replied getting out the opposite side of the car whilst Damon popped the trunk and went to gather their bags.

"If I wasn't a vampire, I think I would be deaf at the moment" Damon grumbled as he picked up the bags and started to talk beside Elena who smacked him in the arms for his comments.

They made their way up the front steps of the rustic cabin and Damon took in the surroundings, reaching out with his senses and gauging if there was a danger hidden in the words that surrounded the lake. First Jenna, Ric and Jeremy's voices floated from inside the cabin and as he stretched out with to the woods.

After finding that he was the most dangerous thing around he started up the stairs and came to a stop in front of the door as Elena opened it with her key. She walked over the threshold and turned to face Damon, a smile blooming on her face as he came to a stop just outside the cabin door.

"Ummm going to invite me in or what Elena?" Damon asked as Elena's smile widened at his words.

"First, say that I am good singing and that you can't sing" Elena cheekily said to Damon who let a groan of frustration.

"Seriously, what are we five here?" Damon questioned Elena who only shook her head at him, the laughter ringing out from the cabin let him know the rest of Elena's family were enjoying this scene.

"Damon, I invite you in," she said laughing as Damon pretended to attack her neck and as he walked by her carrying the bags.

Damon spied Alaric sitting on the couch in the lounge room with Jenna sitting at his legs and Jeremy took up the rest of the couch beside them. Damon stopped and waited for Elena to show him where to dump her bags before he went downstairs and grabbed the cooler he had left in the back of the car. After Elena had shown him where he was sleeping Elena and Damon joined the rest of group in eating (which he did out of politeness), then blamed lame board games that were apparently a tradition and then were forced to sit through a family movie he swore he would never watch. As the night wore down and Jenna and Alaric went to bed followed by Jeremy leaving Elena alone with Damon.

"Thank you for coming too Damon…I had a lot of fun with you here" Elena murmured as she stood as Damon did the same.

She pulled him into a hug, kissing his cheek before she turned around and fled up the stairs leaving Damon alone slightly shocked. He had been kissed by many women, and that one kiss on his cheek set fire to him more than any other woman ever has.

**Gilbert Lake House, **_**Several Hundred Miles **_

_**From Mystic Falls, **_**Virginia **

_Damon Point of View_

Damon had woken up on the couch in the downstairs of the lake house and he realized it was still exceedingly early. Looking at his phone he realized it was only six a.m., everyone else would still be sleeping off the late night. Damon stood up and grabbed his leather jacket, slipping a pair of boots on he made his way out the door and down the back porch that led to a jetty overlooking the lake. He sighed, breathing in deep and trying for the life of him what this feeling was. It was a good feeling, something he had not felt in a while, and as he strolled down the yard and out onto the jetty, he came to a stop shock coursing through his system.

The feeling that he had not been able to recognize was _happiness_. These people had given something he had not felt in over fifty years…not since that fateful night where he left his friend to die in a fire.

That thought petrified him, as he stood on the end of the dock and closed his eyes he reached out and sensed nothing, well there seemed to be several heartbeats close by but they were too fast to be humans. How could he have let this happen, he had a real do not get close to people, as a vampire humanity is a vampire's greatest weakness. It was not just caring about Bonnie, Jeremy, Jenna, Alaric, and Stefan but was the main reason he could not leave.

Her life was in danger and he could not live with himself if he had let anything happen to her…not when he could stop it. Elena and he seemed to have some sort of connection; she understands him on a level that he had never felt in his life.

Damon reached inside himself and found that magical switch that all vampires had, he could feel the metaphorical finger touching it and about it turn it off when a voice broke through his thoughts.

"Why do I have a feeling you are out this early, is not a good thing?" Elena voice said from behind him making him face and turn her.

She was standing at the end of the docks, her sleep clothes thrown on and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders to shield her from the cold. She had a look of concern on her face and Damon sighed again as he turned away from her to look back over the calm, placid lake trying to calm his raging storm of feelings.

"Thinking" Damon replied trying to ignore the way her smell made his shoulders tense less slightly.

He felt her slowly approach him until he could feel her hand touching his shoulder and gently turning to face him.

"About what?" Elena murmured making sigh and look down into her doe eyes.

"How I've changed…I care too much Elena and I can't be unfocused on what I have to do" Damon said snatching his arm away.

"And what is it you're supposed to do?" Elena asked letting Damon have his distance, he stopped placed his hands on his hips before he turned back to Elena.

"By my feelings…for you. I care about you Elena, a lot more than I said. You're my brother's girl but everyone time we are to together I lose track of who I am" Damon admitted walking down to the end of the pair and looking out over the water.

"You're not the only one Damon, since the moment we met I have felt this pull to…this connection and I can't understand it and to be honest I don't want to" Elena murmured coming up to him and turning him to face her.

They looked at each other for a few moments before Damon took her into his arms, and as brown gazed into blue before Elena's eyes dipped down to his lips then back up to his eyes as if giving him a signal. Everyone bone in his body said it was a bad idea as but as he leaned in his heart won out and after a moment hesitation, he connected his lips with hers in a soft gentle kiss.

"Well isn't this sweet, we caught them in an intimate moment" a woman's voice broke out from the end of the docks making the pair break apart and face the speaker.

When he saw who it was rage and for the first-time fear entered his body; rage because he should have slaughtered all the wolves when he had the chance. But the fear was not for him …no it was for Elena. He was all that stood between Jules and another man standing beside her he recognized as being called Brady the other night. Damon shifted in front of Elena pulling her so she would not be in the way and they would have to go through him to get to her.

"How did you find us?" Damon replied trying to figure out a plan but its position was not a good one.

Jules and Brady stood at the end of the dock and there was only Elena and Damon there at the other end. He was in a bad position but all he had to do was to get Elena into the house and wake Alaric up and he would come out with his wolf arsenal.

"It was pretty easy, but I must say it was a lot easier to get the drop on you than we thought we would it be" Jules replied.

"What do you want?" Damon asked as he shifted Elena further behind him.

"We're after the girl, give her over and no-one has to get hurt…much. Don't…and well the odds aren't exactly in your favour, are they?" Jules replied a deadly look crossing her face as Brady drew a machete from a sheath in his side and Jules pulled a stake from her pocket.

"You want to touch a hair on her head you are going to have to kill me first" Damon snarled shifting into a fighting chance as he felt Elena grab at the sleeve of his shirt.

"As soon as you get the chance get into the house and get Ric, I'll buy you time just get Ric" Damon turned and whispered slightly to Elena who nodded her head and looked at him fearfully.

Damon turned back to face the two wolves unleashing the demon inside, snarling slightly as the veins beneath his eyes rippled red and his eyes turned almost onyx. He started to make his way towards the two people who met his stride step for step, he only hoped he could buy enough time for Elena to get to safety.

**End of Chapter Note: Sorry for ending it on a cliff hanger, hope you all don't hate me too much. Let me know what you all think of the chapter with a review and as always thanks for reading**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: How is everyone doing, I hope everyone is healthy and safe during these times. COVID-19 is affecting the whole world and I hope this chapter helps the cheer up everyone just a little bit because at the end of the day we are all human and we have to come together to beat this thing. **

**Enough from me, I would like to dedicate this chapter to my amazing reader's thanks for reading this story and as always on with the show…**

**Chapter Six: Second Battles**

_Previously on the Vampire Diaries: _

_"We're after the girl, give her over to us and no-one has to get hurt…much. Don't…and well the odds aren't exactly in your favour, are they?" Jules replied a deadly look crossing her face as Brady drew a machete from a sheath in his side and Jules pulled a stake from her pocket._

_"You want to touch a hair on her head you are going to have to kill me first" Damon snarled shifting into a fighting chance as he felt Elena grab at the sleeve of his shirt._

_"As soon as you get the chance get into the house and get Ric, I'll buy you time just get Ric" Damon turned and whispered slightly to Elena who nodded her head and looked at him fearfully._

_Damon turned back to face the two wolves unleashing the demon inside, snarling slightly as the veins beneath his eyes rippled red and his eyes turned almost onyx. He started to make his way towards the two people who met his stride step for step, he only hoped he could buy enough time for Elena to get to safety._

**Gilbert Lake House, **_**Several Hundred Miles **_

_**From Mystic Falls, **_**Virginia **

_Damon Point of View _

Damon met the two werewolves at the end of the dock, Jules swung her machete at him, but Damon caught her hand and shoved her back sending her sprawling backwards, but she simply flipped back up into a crouch. Damon didn't have time dwell on her as he sensed the other wolf, Brady, go for Elena thinking Damon was too distracted. Elena had made her way to the end of the dock and was staying close to Damon's back, Damon quickly sped from where he was grabbing Brady by the front of his shirt and throwing him sideways sending him sprawling into Jules causing them both to crash to the ground.

"Elena, get into the house now" Damon yelled as Elena made scrambled her way up the front steps and into the house.

As Damon attention was momentarily shifted to Elena and ensuring she got into the house Brady used that opportunity to run and crash into Damon sending them both sprawling into the dirt. Brady wound up on top of Damon and raised the stake on his hand, he brought it down but as it was about to hit Damon he deflected it away from his heart and it instead pierced his shoulder causing him to growl and cry out in pain. Damon shifted his weight throwing Brady off him, he flipped back up into a standing position but had to quickly duck as Jules came at him with her machete intent on taking his head off. As he moved into a crouch, he swept his leg out catching hers causing her to go crashing to the ground once again.

He stood again as both the wolves stood on the end of the dock whilst Damon was where he intended to put himself the whole time; between the wolves and getting into the house. Damon growled, baring his fangs and charging the two wolves, Jules made a swing of her machete, Damon caught her wrist holding it and twist violently until he heard a loud crack and Jules screaming out in pain and dropping the machete. Damon kicked it away before it hit the ground sending it into a tree with a loud thud as it came to rest there. Brady, seeing his packmate writhing on the ground growled and rushed Damon with the stake.

Damon was able to grab the stake but the left hook he took in the face causing him to lose his focus for a second. He had forgotten that he whilst in human form the wolfs could still pack a punch and he blood pouring from the newly opened cut above his right eye was proof of that. Brady and Damon back away from each other and started to circle each other, the amber irises of Brady staring into the blood-red eyes of Damon. Brady rushed first but before he could get close Damon saw a clear object sail through the air coming from the house, before either Damon or Brady knew what was happening it exploded covering both of the fighters in the liquid. It had no effect on Damon, but Brady started to scream, and his skin started to melt as if he was a vampire exposed to vervain and Damon realized it was a wolfsbane grenade.

Looking over to the house Damon spotted several things that shocked him; Alaric standing there holding a gun pointed at the wolfs was one but it was Elena right behind pointing a crossbow directly at Brady whilst Jeremy and Jenna each had a knife in their hands ready to help Damon fight if they needed to. Damon smirked at Brady who was backing away from Damon and towards Jules who had looks of anger and defeat etched onto their faces. Damon started towards them intent on ripping them limb from limb before Elena's voice broke him out of his bloodlust.

"Damon, it's ok to let them go it's over" she murmured starting to walk off the deck, Jenna went to restrain her but Elena gave her a look and gently removed her arm.

Damon still had his back turned to the house, the bloodlust and rage from the fight were still in his system; this was something he had always struggled with whenever he let the rage out it was hard to put it back in. Suddenly Damon felt a soft hand gently grabbing his jacket shirt and turning him forcing Elena to see Damon in full vampire mode; his eyes had turned black with rippling veins beneath his eyes and his fangs were bared.

"Damon…your hurt, we need to get you some blood ok?" Elena said raising her hand slowly to his face and laying it gently there and suddenly all the excess rage started to ebb out of him with the simple touch of her hand.

"Come on Damon, let's go inside" Elena murmured grabbing his hand and leading him up the house.

As he passed up the deck and through the doorway of the house he saw Jenna pulling a blood bag from his cooler and Jeremy looking around like he wanted to do something but was unsure of what to do. Ric, seeming to read Damon's mind walked into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of bourbon and poured two fingers into a glass. As Damon sat down on the couch groaning as he realized the wolves had gotten in more hits than he had realized. Elena came to sit beside him, trying to inspect the damage; Damon realized that the stake that had pierced his shoulder had left little bits of wood in the wound, he also realized he had a large cut up his right arm from the machete; he couldn't recall how that had happened but he realized that with the wood in his shoulder his body wasn't healing as it should.

"Umm not to be awkward but there are some bits of wood in my shoulder wound, someone has to remove it?" Damon said shakily when he realized he wouldn't be able to take them out themselves.

"Ok, come on we'll go into the bathroom," Elena said gently helping Damon up, he realized he did not have the energy for his usual snarkiness about Elena getting him naked and alone.

He simply followed her up the stairs and into the first door on the right that was the bathroom.

"What's the matter, don't like to fight when the odds aren't in your favour?" Damon snarked to them as they shared a look, Jules's arm was at an odd angle and half of Brady's face had melted off.

"We'll be back Salvatore, and next time I'll bury you where you stand" Jules cried back as she and Brady turned and disappeared into the woods causing Damon to start to back towards the house.

"Damon, are you ok?" Elena's voice sounded from behind him causing him to turn and face Elena in disbelief; she had left the safety of the house to run over and make sure he was ok.

"Elena, come on get into the house, for all we know it's a trap and this is exactly what they wanted" Damon replied placing his hand on her back and quickly guiding her back into the house.

Once they were there Damon breathed a sigh of relief; he knew that Bonnie had placed wards around the house to ensure no supernatural creature who meant the Gilberts harm couldn't physically enter the house and the added benefit of vampires needing an invite made the Lakehouse practically supernatural proof. He took a seat on the sofa while Elena went into the kitchen to fetch him a blood bag, Alaric walked into the kitchen and pulled out a glass, pouring him two fingers in a glass and walking into the lounge room placing it Damon's hand who lifted it to his lips and swallowed it in one go.

"Damon, you're still bleeding…why aren't you starting to heal?" Elena asked as she came to stand in front of Damon.

This made him realize that he had more wounds than he had realized; he had shut off anything other than the rage and the instinct to protect Elena and her family. The stab wound from the stake on his back must have had splinters in it and he realized there was a nasty cut to his right side that was gushing blood onto the couch making Damon realize he probably ruined the couch.

"I got to get cleaned up, where's the bathroom?" Damon asked Elena, stood up and starting to lead him up the stairs.

They came to a stop that was the first on the right of the stairs, Damon turned to Elena and raised his eyebrows.

"Want to come to help me undress?" Damon said wiggling his eyebrows which simply caused Elena to roll her eyes at him.

"I'm sure you know how to undress by now, if you don't I am slightly worried about you" Elena snarked back smiling at Damon as she said this.

She handed over a pair of tweezers and some other tools that would help Damon get rid of the splinters. Damon walked in and closed the door behind him, sensing Elena still hovering outside he rolled his eyes as he unbuttoned his shirt and surveyed the damage from the fight. There was a knife slash down that ran across his right arm and his chest that was gushing blood. He turned and surveyed the damage from the stake and softly cursed; the wound had gone much deeper than he thought and he could feel how deep they were…he was going to have to get someone take it out for him. Damon walked over to the door, seeing Elena standing there with a blood bag in her hand and a concerned look on her face.

"Need some help, I can't reach the splinters in the wound on my back, so you get to a free show" Damon spoke trying to hide the rising pain his wounds were causing him.

Elena followed him back into the bathroom and Damon turned around showing the gaping wound from the stake that had been left there, seeing it caused Elena to gasp and softly reach out to touch the edges causing Damon to cry out.

"Jeeze, I said take out the splinters, not prod it, who taught you you're beside manor?" Damon snarked as he sensed Elena pick up a pair of tweezers and start to dig around in his back.

The room was silent except for the soft squeezing of flesh as Elena dove in and took out the splinters and Damon's cries as she dug in slightly. Neither was speaking now, but both were currently thinking about what had happened between on dock before the wolves had arrived. Once they were all out Damon's skin started to slowly knit back together, and he turned around to face Elena not realizing there was barely two inches between them. Elena raised her hand to Damon's chest and gently traced the now red skin tissue that was a large gash across his chest. Damon quickly grabbed her hand and pulled it away and took a step back trying to put more distance between them.

"Elena…we can't do whatever this is" Damon murmured turning back around and picking his shirt up and pulling it on; he needed the added barrier between the two.

"Damon…the dock when we kissed, I felt something…and I saw it in your eyes, you felt something too, didn't you?" Elena asked, fear tinging her voice.

"You know I did…but I can't do this again, Stefan and I are finally brothers again and I can't steal his girl away from him" Damon murmured, Elena grabbed him and turned him around forcing him to look at her.

"I'm not an object to taken or won Damon, I choose who I want to be with, me and no-one else," Elena said stepping up to Damon invading his personal space.

"You don't know a thing about me Elena, when you do you realize what I am" Damon murmured, Elena looked at him for a moment and suddenly a thought crossed her mind.

"Give me this weekend, let me get to know you and you can get to know me, we can find out if this is just a weird connection or maybe it could be something more?" Elena asked placing a hand on his cheek causing him to lean into it and let out a soft breath.

"Ok, but I have to call Stefan, I can't keep this from him," Damon said causing Elena to turn away in anger.

"Stefan has lied to me so many times and not only that he hurt me. I'm grateful as his friend but that is all we will ever…not everything that has happened" Elena replied angrily.

"I know…but I owe it to him, I'm his brother," Damon said causing Elena's look to soften when she realized Damon was worried about losing his brother.

"Ok, I understand why you have to, but get cleaned up first you covered in blood" Elena murmured, she went to turn away but quickly shot back to Damon capturing his lips with hers in a soft gentle kiss, it only lasted moments but it made Damon's dead heart come alive.

"Have a good shower" Elena said as she slowly walked away winking at him as she closed the door, as she did Damon realized he would be taking a very cold shoulder from the feelings Elena had left him with.

**End of Chapter Note: Well, what did everyone think, let me know with a review and as always till next time.**


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